So, I started a new company about two years ago and really just let it chill until now.

Every other industry including advertising, technology, the music industry, sports and Hollywood, to name a few, had been affected by the shifts in social media influence, P2P sharing, audience building, and commercialization.

After sitting in every seat of the creator economy, I realized that the last bastion of change is in representation and operations. I’ve coached hundreds if not thousands of creators in my day, negotiated many contracts, and ultimately, in almost every scenario, the creator who was the most successful had infrastructure in their business.

Most creators think that representation is a silver bullet to success but it’s just the beginning. Having a talent manager or an agent is only has helpful as the input of the creator. The best weapons any one in the representation field has is their strategic mind and a killer network. I was never convinced the economics always worked out. A talent manager can spend a ton of time selling for an artist and that time is not compensated for… and the talent pays a bit too much if the talent manager is only fielding opportunities versus creating them or contributing to the strategic vision of future revenue and success.

So, I thought it’d be really smart to create a platform where creators become better entrepreneurs, by leveraging AI agents to increase operational excellence, experts to grow their network, valuable commission-free brand & media opportunities, and community to keep them sharp.

and now, I’m building it.

It’s a big idea.

And, your girl needed to start slow.

By 2024, we built a prototype with an incredible partner, and started to sell the vision but ultimately, it’s a slow thing and we hadn’t yet had traction. I was feeling a little defeated and I still had a death grip on my agency which had it’s best revenue year in 2024 clocking in just shy of 7 figures, something only 9% of small businesses do, and only 2% of women-owned businesses do.

I knew last year that God was calling me into a new season, and I was vehemently resistant. And, I remember I called my Dad crying, and he said, “what are you willing to give up?” and, I said, “NOTHING! I think I can do it all!” He let me have that, because I was emotional and grieving, because I felt like I was just getting starting in my agency, but I think he and I both knew that change was a coming.

Coming into this year, I knew I wanted to lean more into Represent. And did.

I was done with trying to pitch the company for investors and wanted to build the IRL version of my intention, so I started the Represent Creator Fellowship piloted here in Nashville. We took 10 Creators who represented 60K Subscribers and 4M in reach through a 6-mo program where they met with marketing, technology, operations, and finance experts every month from major organizations to better help them understand their businesses, received 1 year membership at Ampersand studios (a creator focused co-working space), 1:1 coaching, and beta-access to Represent when we launch and other perks.

Following this fellowship, we learned that our virtual curriculum that can be taught much faster, so we are doing a fall fellowship for 6 Weeks starting in October and will be open nation-wide.

If you’re wondering what you can do to advocate for my business - I’ll tell you:

Partnerships - Sponsoring the next fellowship & creator experiences like our friends did at Shopify and Nielsen!

Managed Services (B2B) - Hire Represent to start, manage, grow and keep your organization’s creator networks incentivized and connected.

Join the Expert Marketplace - Sign up to be in the expert marketplace!

Introductions- Make impactful connections that can help me find great partners, finish the product and/or get funding. Even if I already know them, or you think I do - reconnect us!

Email me to discuss any of these things. [email protected] 

This week, we are celebrating the completion of that fellowship, and the burgeoning creator economy in Nashville. And, right after this event, I have a big birthday weekend.

If you’re in the area…. go ahead and RSVP & Comp Code: ExecComp

I know I’m not the only one having a helluva time this year. Having the audacity to start a new thing in this economy is a little, coo-coo for cocoa puffs, but as the creator economy continues to shift, and I see the trends, there is no doubt in my mind that this service needs to exist and who better than me that to bring it to life? 😅 

There is an old saying I love: “Let go or Be Dragged”

After being dragged from here to kingdom come, I can finally answer my dad’s question: “What are you willing to let go off?” 

My honest to God answer is: My ego. I’m just NOW ready to let go of my ego in how I thought building this “ought” to go, and lean into the beauty of what building it is and serving my fellow creator and operator community …

If you’re building a new thing, or been resistant to the whisper echoing in your spirit, let this be the sign to start - there’s no better time than Virgo Season 🙂 

And thank you - for rocking with me, receiving this newsletter (when I send it), and keeping up with my growth as a creator economy leader and conscious hustler.

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